Fast Shrimp Appetizers

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Whether you're planning a casual get-together with good friends or a fancy party for a crowd, you can't go wrong with shrimp appetizers. Shrimp needs little prep work to taste delicious, so you can prepare the appetizers quickly. If you have frozen or fresh shrimp on hand, you have the makings of a gourmet before-dinner treat.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

Bacon-wrapped shrimp appetizers make minutes to make but will leave a lasting impression with party guests. To make the appetizers, cut bacon strips into halves and fry them in a skillet until they are slightly cooked. Wrap the bacon pieces around medium-sized, peeled cooked shrimp and spear each bundle with a toothpick. Pop the bacon-wrapped shrimp under the broiler until the bacon crisps. To enhance the flavor, marinate the shrimp in Caesar salad dressing before wrapping them with bacon.

Shrimp Cocktail

Classy shrimp cocktails will never go out of style. To prepare the appetizer quickly, make a cocktail sauce by mixing together ketchup, horseradish and salt and pepper to taste. Scoop some of the sauce into a martini glass and arrange peeled and deveined boiled shrimp around the rim. Quickly customize the flavor of the shrimp by adding lemon juice, chili powder, Cajun seasonings or Old Bay seasoning to the boiling water.

Shrimp Egg Rolls

Making shrimp egg rolls from scratch is simpler than it sounds. To start the appetizer, chop peeled and deveined shrimp into small pieces and saute it into a hot skillet along with bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, grated carrot and minced garlic and ginger. Scoop the mixture into individual egg roll wrappers, roll them up and fry until golden brown. Serve the egg rolls with an assortment of creamy dips.

Shrimp-Stuffed Tomatoes

Shrimp-stuffed cherry tomatoes make the ideal bite-size appetizers. Create the rich filling by blending cooked shrimp, cream cheese, ranch dressing, lemon juice and horseradish in a food processor until smooth. Cut the tops off ripe cherry tomatoes, hollow out their centers, and scoop small spoonfuls of the shrimp mixture into them. If you have a pastry bag handy, use it to pipe the shrimp filling into the tomatoes' small cavities.